A job candidate's first objective is standing out from the crowd. To land your dream job, you can draw attention to yourself by being different from everyone else. One great way to do this is to make a video resume. It can help you show off your personality and qualifications in a way a traditional resume cannot. It can also help you connect with potential employers on a more personal level. This article will look at how to make a video resume that will help you stand out from the competition and get the job you want.
What is a Video Resume?
A video resume is a short (usually one to two minutes) video that introduces you and highlights your qualifications. It is often submitted along with your traditional resume and cover letter. Think of it as an "elevator pitch" that gives employers a more well-rounded view of who you are and what you can offer their company. It focuses on your most impressive qualifications and how they make you the perfect candidate for the job. It will provide hiring managers and various applicant tracking systems with the opportunity to assess your skills and capabilities in a more dynamic manner than simply reading your resume.
Why Should You Make a Video Resume?
First, as mentioned above, a video resume can help you stand out from the competition. With so many candidates competing for jobs, anything you can do to make yourself more memorable is good.
Second, video resumes allow you to show off your personality in a way that traditional resumes cannot. This is especially important for jobs that require customer interaction or other people skills.
Third, it can help you build rapport with potential employers. By showing them who you are as a person, you're more likely to make a connection with them and be seen as someone they'd want to work with.
When Do You Need a Video Resume?
Not every job will require or even ask for a video resume. For most jobs, a traditional resume will suffice. However, if you want to go the extra mile, you can always submit a video resume along with your regular one. It never hurts to customize the information about yourself out there! Video resumes always personalize your application and can leave a lasting impression (if done well) on your potential employers.
Making a video resume is also useful when your resume is extensive and you want to focus on only the most essential information. This will allow you to summarize and highlight the most relevant parts of your resume in a more digestible way for the employer.
How to Make a Video Resume
Now that you know what a video resume is and why you should make one, let's look at how to create one.
1. Write a Script
The first step is to write a script for your video resume. Plan what you want your video resume to look like. This will help you stay on track and focus on the essential information you want to get across. Whether it's just you narrating or a showcase of your projects and skills, make sure you include everything in your script and action plan, so it is as professional and polished as it can be.
Some things you may want to include in your script are:
- 1) An introduction describing who you are
2) Your job experience and qualifications
3) Relevant skills or projects you've worked on
4) Why you're the perfect candidate for the job
5) A call to action (asking the employer to contact you)
2. Set the Stage
Your video resume is all about you and what you have to say and show. Thus, it is essential to make sure those who assess your application remain free of distractions and stay focused on you. The composition and framing, the lighting, the environment, the background, how you dress, and how you present yourself all matter.
Here are some tips to help set the stage:
- 1) Choose a well-lit place with a neutral background
2) Make sure the environment is quiet and free of any distractions or background noise
3) Choose either an engaging or distraction-free background
4) Dress professionally as if you were going to an in-person interview
5) Position the camera at eye level or slightly above
6) Frame your shot so that your face and upper body are visible
7) Don't have any other people in the frame with you
8) Turn off any notifications on your computer or phone so you won't be interrupted
3. Set up a Recording Device and Software
Choose your recording device. If you're using your phone, ensure the video quality is good and stable (no one wants to watch a shaky video). If you're using a computer, you can use the webcam built into your laptop or desktop or invest in an external webcam with better quality.
Test your preferred device beforehand to ensure the sound and video quality are good and there are no technical difficulties. Nothing is worse than starting your recording only to realize there's a problem with your equipment!
As for software, you'll need something to record and edit your video. For this, you might want to use Podcastle, as it has many helpful tools and features to help you make an impressive video resume.
Podcastle is an AI-powered platform you can use to easily create, record, and edit a video resume. The best part you'd be happy to know about is that it automatically makes your audio input sound crystal clear. The noise in the background will be cleared, and the loudness levels will be adjusted to a consistent level so you sound great. You can also, quite easily, edit your project later in the app if need be (more on that in a bit).
As you start a new recording project from the dashboard, you will be asked to choose the format (video or audio only) and type in a title, whereafter you can proceed to enter the studio.
Configure and test your input sources, microphone, speaker, and camera, and you're good to start recording.
4. Shoot The Video (with Several Takes)
Remember to speak slowly and clearly, so your words can be easily understood. If you make a mistake, don't worry; pause for a second and start again from the last sentence.
It's also a good idea to record several takes so you have more material to work with later. Try different angles, framing, and backgrounds to choose the best one when editing.
Don't forget to smile! Like a regular resume, your video resume should show off your personality, so let it shine through.
When you're happy with your recording, save the file and proceed to the editing phase.
5. Edit Your Video Resume
Now it's time to edit your video and put everything together. If you've shot your video in Podcastle, you can edit it directly in the app right after the recording by accessing the files from the dashboard. Alternatively, you can import your video and audio files to Podcastle from any device you use.
Here are some tips for editing your video resume and how you can do it:
Improve the quality of your audio: Podcastle's audio editor allows you to clean out the background noise and amplify your voice while also softening it, all with just one click. Right-click on the desired track and apply the Magic Dust tool; it will take only a moment to perfect the track.
Additionally, you can apply the auto-leveling tool to make your audio levels consistent throughout the whole video - whether its parts are loud or quiet, or if you're too far or too close to your microphone.
Add subtitles: To make your video more engaging, professional, and considerate, you can add subtitles. If you choose not to go with a script and improvise, you can easily transcribe your audio with help from Podcastle's AI. Right-click on the audio track and choose "Transcribe."
The text will be generated in a few moments, giving you control over what you want to keep or leave out. Magically, every phrase you scraped from the text will also be removed from the audio.
Choose an engaging opening: the first few seconds of your video are crucial in grabbing the viewer's attention, so make sure you start strong! Podcastle comes with a library of copyright-free sound effects and music. You can have a nice audio track playing behind your voice to make your video more appealing.
Choose your preferred music track, and drag it to the project. You can trim it, cut it, make it louder or quieter, and even make fade-in and fade-out effects at the start and end.
Edit out mistakes: remove any stumbles, pauses, or fillers (like "um" or "like"), so your video sounds polished and professional.
You can do this in a breeze with Podcastle's filler word detection tool. As you apply the tool, it will automatically detect the filler words and highlight them for you. You can then delete the ones you don't want, each with a single click.
Similarly, you can automatically remove any silent parts with just one click. The AI Silence Remover detects the pauses in your audio and removes them for you.
It will also be helpful to merge your clips in the Audio Editor before using the silence remover tool. It will help you seamlessly edit your multi-track recordings without worrying about things tracks out of sync. It will also ensure only the long pauses you want removed from your recording are removed. Surely, you can also use it in various other ways.
Bonus Tips for Making a Compelling Video Resume
Here are a few extra tips for making an even more impressive video resume:
1. Tell Your Story
Your video resume is the perfect opportunity to tell your story and give a more in-depth look into who you are, what you're passionate about, and what makes you tick. So don't just list your skills and experience - highlight how you've used them to achieve great things.
For example, if you're applying for a job in sales, don't just say that you increased sales by X% in your previous role. Instead, tell the story of how you did it and what you did to make it happen. This will give the hiring manager a much better idea of your skills and abilities and how you might be able to help their company achieve its goals.
2. Be Brief and Specific
While it's important to tell your story, you also need to be brief and specific. No one wants to watch a 20-minute video resume, so make sure you edit out unnecessary information and get straight to the point.
It's also important to be specific about your skills and experience, so the hiring manager can easily see how you would be a good fit for the job. For example, if you're applying for a job in social media marketing, don't just say you're good at social media. Instead, highlight specific skills, such as copywriting, graphic design, or video editing - and give examples of how you've used those skills to achieve results.
Similarly, if you're applying for a job in customer service, don't just say that you're good with people. Again, highlight your specific skills, like problem-solving or conflict resolution - and give examples of how you've used those skills to help customers.
The more specific you can be, the better.
3. Get Creative
Your video resume is perfect for showing off your unique personality and getting creative. So don't be afraid to experiment with different formats and styles.
For example, you could try using a whiteboard or chalkboard to write out your story or self-interview yourself with questions potential recruiters might have. You could even try animations or infographics to make your points visually appealing.
The sky's the limit, so get creative and enjoy the process. Still, be sure not to overdo it!
4. Improve Your On-Camera Presence
Finally, if you feel like you're not too comfortable filming yourself, it's always worth making an effort to improve your on-camera presence. So take the time to practice before you start recording, and pay attention to how you come across on camera.
Are you making eye contact with the camera? Are you speaking clearly and concisely? Do you look natural and relaxed, or are you stiff and awkward?
The more you practice, the better you'll get at being on camera. And the better you are on camera, the more impressive your video resume will be.
Closing Points
A video resume is a great way to make a solid first impression on a potential employer. By following the tips in this article, you can be sure your video resume will stand out from the crowd and help you land your next job.Podcastle offers a wide range of tools to help you create an impressive video resume. So be sure to try it out today. We can't wait to help you land your dream job!
